The radical notion that women like good movies
On Tuesday, March 8, The New York Times published an article by James C. McKinley Jr. titled, “Vicious Assault Shakes Texas Town.” Eighteen men held down an 11-year-old girl and repeatedly raped her in an abandoned trailer while recording the rape with cell phones. Much has been written about McKinley’s—and the New York Times’—irresponsible, victim-blaming, … Continue reading “On Rape, the Media, and the ‘New York Times’ Clusterfuck”
Helen Mirren: ‘I Want to play Hamlet!’ from The Guardian The general media obsession with Mirren’s sex life has been replaced these days by a kind of awe, no less misogynistic, that a woman in her 60s can look attractive and happy. At 65, Mirren is adored and venerated; if it’s true that, after being … Continue reading “Bitch Flicks’ Weekly Picks”
Rebel with a Cause: A Feminist Heroine Emerges in film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo This is a cross post from Opinioness of the World. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the international phenomenon that is Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
The 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards Ceremony took place on Saturday night–the night before the Academy Awards–and aired on IFC. (Which I didn’t watch, because I don’t get IFC.) In terms of who and which films were nominated, there was a good bit of crossover this year for indie films: four of the five Best … Continue reading “2011 Spirit Award Winners”
Might as well dive right in! Here is the list (short version) of the winners: Best Picture: The King’s Speech Best Actor: Colin Firth in The King’s Speech Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale in The Fighter Best Actress: Natalie Portman in Black Swan Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo in The Fighter Best Animated Feature Film: … Continue reading “2011 Post-Oscar Response”
Despite the prevailing (and, to a certain extent, correct) opinions that the Oscars 1) are a political campaign in which the films with the best marketing take home the awards; 2) do not genuinely reflect the best films made every year; 3) promote female objectification (red carpet ridiculousness); and 4) exhibit the continued dominance of … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: 2011 Roundup”
I didn’t go into 127 Hours expecting to see any women in the film. After all, it’s about a man who goes out for a day of canyoneering fun, doesn’t tell anyone where he’s going, bikes through some amazing scenery while occasionally performing random, impressive athletic moves for no reason, decides to do some … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: 127 Hours”
This is a guest review from Megan Kearns. I was so excited to see The Kids Are All Right. I mean a film with not one, but two amazing female leads as well as a family headed by lesbian parents?? The feminist in me says sign me up! While it exuded potential, I wasn’t … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: The Kids Are All Right”
This weekend we’re attending the Athena Film Festival in New York City, billed as a “celebration of women and leadership.” Why a festival dedicated to women and film? From the official website: In 2010, for the first time in history, a woman won the Oscar for best director. Directing is the most visible leadership position … Continue reading “Athena Film Festival Preview”
The Social Network (2010) This is a guest review from Carrie Polansky. There are two ways to read women in the universe of The Social Network: 1. As unnecessary set dressing, existing solely for the aesthetic and sexual pleasure of men; or2. As vital to the invention of social networking and, by extension, to the … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: The Social Network”
True Grit (2010) This is a guest review from Cynthia Arrieu-King The Coen Brothers have triumphed in recognizing that their particular wifty and broad take on American violence could better the classic Western film True Grit. The original 1969 version drew from the campy Western novel True Grit by Charles Portis, and had a play-time, … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: True Grit”
Where Are All The Women In Film? from The Huffington Post: “The Women’s Media Center is at Sundance, where they put together a stark and riveting video to underscore the gender inequities that persist in filmmaking and in the media.” Easy A: A Fauxminist Film from The Funny Feminist: “At the end of the movie, Olive spells … Continue reading “Bitch Flicks’ Weekly Picks”
